Wieman – Live In Cyberia
January 20, 2016 Leave a comment
Our concert recording from Brussels in November launching our latest LP on ini.itu is now released on Bandcamp. Go here
2015: Himmelhoch jauchzend zu Tode betruebt
December 31, 2015 Leave a comment
Last year I wrote that 2014 wasn’t easy and I said that would continue into 2015. It did and no crystal ball was involved in that prediction. My mother passed away in September after being ill for close to a year. It is sad to see her go, but I’m happy all of the suffering is over, especially for my mother who hated losing her independence. This has made this a most strange year also, in which I seemed to have not as enjoyed many films, books or music. I found it hard to think of a few, but there is a list below. Also I did a lot less music it seems than other years, although since September I have been working on various new projects, such as a new flexi with source material by Michael Esposito, which is reworked by Bass Communion and Freiband. Also as Freiband I did a new piece, ‘Hot August Night’ to be released by White Paddy Mountain. Also I am returning to projects that have been laying around for some time, such as mixing my collaboration with Richard Francis, Z’EV and hopefully also more work with Howard Stelzer, which has been recorded some two years ago.
This year I talked with Mark Poysden a lot about my book on Staalplaat. His suggestions for a better grammar and wording, as well as editing made this a great book. Timeless Edition in France will be releasing this in the first quarter of 2016, along with a cover by Erik Kriek, who did the Staalplaat bags. I am very excited about this, as I consider this book as one of the best things I ever did. I never spend as much time as I did on this book as anything else in my life. Writing books is more complex than making music. Odd.
I started a new project with Jos Smolders, which, through the help of Facebook, we christened WaSm (thanks Holger for that). In December we did our first gig and Silken Tofu might be releasing a CD from us next year.
In March I will be touring with Sindre Bjerga again and we’ll also be playing together and we choose upon the name Tech Riders. Two new bands! I also left a band behind in 2015: in May I decided to leave Beequeen due to what is usually called ‘musical differences’. Our last 7″ should be in March 2016.
In 2015 I created a whole bunch of new QST pieces, which are getting better, if I may say so. I am seriously considering the possibility to play live as QST in 2016.
An unfortunate encounter I had with a Russian guy with whom I released a collaborative release, ‘Zondag’. It uses his sounds, but I did the bulk the work on it. I didn’t like that he put his name first on the released CDR. However that wasn’t what caused a rift between us, but his anti-gay stances were. His worldview seemed very limited in many aspects and while I believe everybody is free to believe whatever they want to, I have the freedom to be without them. It’s a pity, as it’s a fine release. I am happy to send everyone a free copy.
On August 8th 2014 I started to keep a diary for a year, something I wished to do for a long time, and I managed to keep this up until August 7, 2015, the day before the picture above was taken. Himmelhoch jauchzend indeed; the best party of the year!
Like I said it seemed I enjoyed not as much stuff as in other years, but I surely enjoyed this:
– I got various boxes and records from Vinyl On Demand, such as Sema, O Yuki Conjugate, Conrad Schnitzler, Portion Control and Rob Van, which were all highly appreciated.
– Second Layer – World Of Rubber 2LP with bonus material
– Various releases by Matt Krefting
– IDEA FIRE COMPANY – LOST AT SEA (LP by Recital)
– PSEUDO CODE – REMAINS TO BE HEARD VOL. 1 & 2 (2CD by EE Tapes)
– 300 BASSES – TRIA ATOMA (CD by Moving Furniture Records)
– Jim O’Rourke’s Bandcamp
– VA AA LR releases
– Asmus Tietchens
– ICE YACHT – POLE OF COLD (cassette by Fragment Factory)
– Amalgamated – various releases
– JON SHEFFIELD – SPRINGBOARDS (cassette by Obsidian Cuts)
– AKIRA RABELAIS – THE LITTLE GLASS (2CD, private)
– DENEUVE – UGLY (CD by Blowpipe)
– ANTOINE PANACHE – J’AI UN AME SOLITAIRE (cassette by Barreuh Records)
And it was great to see finally a new album by New Order, which I enjoyed a lot, however it is also a bit long. What’s wrong with your best stuff in 40 minutes? Where do they teach that albums have to be sixty or more minutes and filled with lesser pieces? Oh, well, maybe I am a grumpy old man.
I saw a bunch of concerts this year and I very much liked Sweat Tongue in Rotterdam, Steven Wilson in Utrecht and Rummelsnuff in Extrapool. Three entirely different musical events.
Although I saw lots of movies, I can’t remember of any standout, though the second season of ‘Fargo’ I really enjoyed; likewise it was with books I read. I enjoyed Chrissie Hynde’s and Kim Gordon’s autobiographies for instance, but it wasn’t that great. John Lydon’s new one comes close being great, but that’s because he talks about PIL a bit, but he could have used someone to edit the book down a bit. Their 2015 record was a dramatically bad one, though.
2015 saw the following music become available:
[Doc Wor Mirran] SYMPHONY IN A(NNOY) (CDR, Attenuation Circuit ACR 1018)
[QST] ‘B3. marilli remxd’ Marilli Remixed (download, http://banabila.bandcamp.com)
[Wieman] CRYPTONESIA (LP, ini.itu 1501)
[Shifts] FADE IN (cassette, Maneki Neko Tapes NMT 007)
[Frans de Waard] ‘Drone #2 (Extraction #1)’ on Drone Cinema 2015 (Raspberry Pi by Timemachines)
[Modelbau] KEYNOTES (businesscard CDR, Korm Digitaal 219)
[Frans de Waard] I’M FREEZING (7″ flexi disc with Michael Esposito & Frans de Waard, “Dreams of the Incorruptibles”, Korm Plastics/Phanton Plastics kp 3060)
[Frans de Waard] COURRIERE (CD, Mystery Sea MS78)
[Freiband & Bass Communion] COURAGE/COWARDICE (12″, Important Records imprec 423)
[Freiband] ‘Noise’ on ‘Listen To The Drums’ (download, Oggy Records)
[Modelbau] HYPHEN (cassette, Powdered Hearts Records ph 10)
[Frans de Waard & Howard Stelzer] FAULT (download, Korm Digitaal 214)
[Frans de Waard & Howard Stelzer] HOWEVER (cassette, Banned Production,
[Freiband] ZONDAG (CDR; material by Vitaly Maklakov) Ostroga otr 040
[Freiband] ‘Monoplain’ (3″CDR split with Kromeshna) Ostroga otr 035
[Frans de Waard] DRONE # 2 (download, Korm Digitaal 221)
[Modelbau] GETAWAY (3″CDR, Korm Digitaal 211)
[Wieman] PLAYS GOEM (CD, Kvitnu 36)
[Modelbau] DO WITHOUT (cassette, Maneki Neko Tapes MN002T)
[Frans de Waard] AFTER ALL (cassette, Copy For Your Records cfyrt 11) Collaboration with Howard Stelzer. Edition of 50 copies
[Modelbau] EXTRUSION (cassette, Bookend Recordings, BE 019) Edition of 26 copies
[Freiband] PENNY ARCADE (cassette by Vulnavia Editions, no catalogue number) split release with Tanner Garza, based on a collaboration
I played these concerts:
Kapotte Muziek
14-11-2015 Les Ateliers Claus, Brussel, Belgium FdW+RM
Wieman
14-11-2015 Les Ateliers Claus, Brussel, Belgium
Modelbau
01-04-2015 Occii, Amsterdam
02-04-2015 Koffie & Ambacht, Rotterdam
03-04-2015 Etalage Derde Wal, Nijmegen
05-12-2015 KuS, Heerlen
WaSm
05-12-2015 KuS, Heerlen
Beequeen
10-01-2015 Kroese, Nijmegen
07-02-2015 Vrooom, Rotterdam
Frans de Waard
27-03-2015 Vrijplaats, Leiden
Onwards!
The Tobacconists – The Dark Secrets Of Doctor Perati
December 3, 2015 Leave a comment
now available on Bandcamp!
Frans de Waard – Courriere
September 15, 2015 Leave a comment
Finally a new CD out, and I am very proud of this baby! Read more here
Ezdanitoff – We Bring Light
January 28, 2015 Leave a comment
Recorded and produced by Wouter Jaspers and Frans de Waard at Geluidwerkplaats Extrapool, Nijmegen, September 2010.
Playgrounds uses, with kind permission, sounds by Jos Smolders. Mixed by Frans de Waard, late 2010, early 2011.
Wouter Jaspers is endorsed by KOMA Elektronik.
Mastered by Jos Smolders at Earlabs. Cover by Rutger Zuydervelt.
Also available on CD by Silentes Minimal Editions SME1153
Playgrounds uses, with kind permission, sounds by Jos Smolders. Mixed by Frans de Waard, late 2010, early 2011.
Wouter Jaspers is endorsed by KOMA Elektronik.
Mastered by Jos Smolders at Earlabs. Cover by Rutger Zuydervelt.
Also available on CD by Silentes Minimal Editions SME1153
now available at Bandcamp
Howard Stelzer & Frans de Waard – After All
January 21, 2015 Leave a comment
After all these years, Howard Stelzer and me are still working together and essentially we still use the same material over and over again. Copy For Your Records just released a cassette with last year’s results of that ongoing collaboration and another one is in the works from Banned production, to be released soon. Edition of 50 copies.
Modelbau – Extrusion
January 21, 2015 Leave a comment
Just released by Bookend Recordings, in an edition of 26 copies so I thought it would be a good idea to put this on my Bandcamp straight away.Edited from a live recording 12 September 2014 @ TAC, Eindhoven. Thanks to Lilia and Barreuh. Released on cassette by Bookend Recordings (BE 019) in an edition of 26 copies. Including 8 minute bonus piece not on the cassette.
2014 – Another Year Ends
December 31, 2014 Leave a comment
Bass Communion & Freiband at Extrapool
In many ways 2014 has not been an easy year, but mainly due to personal circumstances, one of which was having a tennis elbow and, what turned out to be, an infection in my shoulder, which especially in December was very painful. A shot of steroids helped and even gave back my sense of smelling again. A good friend, who is a doctor, says it will go away as my nose problems are chronic. The other uneasy 2014 thing will not be discussed, as I tend to keep private matters private (for a while). It’s something that will continue into 2015 also, sad as it is.
On absolute plus side, I’d say I am more than happy with the releases that came out this year:
[Beequeen]
AROUND MIDNIGHT (CD, Catsun cat 17)
[The Tobacconists]
THE ULTRA ECZEMA SESSIONS (cassette, Powdered Heart Records, ph 06)
[Freiband]
‘Silence Will Fail’ on Psych 16 (split 7″ with RLW, Psych.KG 153)
[Doc Wor Mirran]
WALM ART (CDR, Hand-made/Mirran Threat)
[Modelbau]
CATARACT (cassette, Licht-ung)
[THU20]
‘Drieentwintigste Uni’ on Monochrome Visions 2004-2014 (3CD, Monochrome Vision MV 50)
[Freiband]
‘Re-Via Version 1’ on Monochrome Visions 2004-2014 (3CD, Monochrome Vision MV 50)
[Kapotte Muziek]
MADRID (CDR, Tuksio)
[Freiband]
‘Love, Peace & Understanding (mix)’ on ‘Epoch I: Evolution’ (3″CDR, Bastet’s Kitten BK 006)
[The Tobacconists]
A SECRET PLACE (LP, A Giant Fern AGF16/Fabrica Records fabrec 028)
[Wieman]
THE CLASSICS ALBUM (CD, Baskaru 030)
[Freiband]
IMPROPER COPY (CDR/download, Hazard Records HR 81)
[Frans de Waard]
‘Ballon Mix’ on Balloon & Needle Compilation (2CD, Balloon & Needle bnn 28)
[Wieman]
EXTRAPOOL 08.03.2012 (online, Korm Digitaal 186)
[THU20]
LIVE AT EXTRAPOOL NIJMEGEN 01.09.2013 (cassette, Midas Music T13)
[Modelbau]
BLADE (cassette, Barreuh bar-cas 004)
[Wieman]
CUTTING ROOM FLOUR (cassette, Lage Landen Lawaai LLL 007)
[Frans de Waard]
ONDERBREKING (online, Korm Digitaal 173)
[THU20]
NIJMEGEN (BEWERKINGEN) (cassette, Lage Landen Lawaai LLL 006)
[Kapotte Muziek]
TERUGKOPPELING (online, Korm Digitaal 163)
Especially the new Beequeen CD, Wieman CD and Tobacconists LP I feel are all very strong, but all my darlings are dear to me.
In 2015 there will be some more great releases, I hope, including a Frans de Waard CD for Mystery Sea. In the last five months I have been working on new music as QST/Quest, as I find current apps/software engaging enough to go back to that moniker and create music in similar vein, but more rhythmical. A quick overview of what should be coming, sooner and later:
Frans de Waard – Courriere CD (Mystery Sea) 2015
Wieman – Plays Goem CD (Kvitnu)
Wieman as yet untitled LP (ini.itu)
Beequeen – Sturmwind/Gilbert 7″ (no label yet)
Frans de Waard/Howard Stelzer – After All cassette (Banned)
Frans de Waard/Howard Stelzer – However cassette (Copy For Your Records)
Freiband – I’m Freezing flexi disc (Korm Plastics/Phantom Plastics)
Tanner Garza/Freiband cassette (which might be out, but I haven’t seen it)
Fabio Orsi & Sindre Bjerga & Frans de Waard LP
THU20 – De Vinger (cassette, Banned)
Modelbau – Do Without (cassette, ManekiMaki)
Modelbau – Extrusion (cassette, Bookend)
Frans de Waard – This Is Supposed To Be A Record Label (book on Staalplaat)
Frans de Waard – (writing about) music (1989-2014) (book)
Other good things that I managed to put up something on Bandcamp almost every week and that included some free stuff, including ‘Sorrow’, a work I made for the victims of the MH17. That was a particular dark cloud this summer and perhaps news that is close by hits you most. I originally planned ‘Sorrow’ to be more complex, but decided to finish it, more or less, the day of the national mourning. It got downloaded quite a lot, which is good, as it makes, hopefully, realize in what mad world we live and/or comforts any sorrow one may have.
Physical releases became a lot less on both Korm Plastics and Plinkity Plonk. I am quite proud of the fact that I released the Andre de Saint-Obin LP/CD – oh yes, I release a bit of vinyl, because, as you may remember from the 2013 Shareholder’s Report, ‘Vinyl Sells’, as everyone who knows his stuff will tell you. They never tell you the complete thing: ‘Vinyl Sells Except Yours’. It could do with some more sales indeed. I again seriously consider doing one or two things on Korm Plastics next year on CD and then call it a day, as a label to release physical things. The ‘company’ will continue to sell music, as it’s my official business name with the official people.
Concert wise this has been a quiet year too:
Wieman
16-04-2014 Hall Of Fame, Tilburg (with Jos Smolders)
Modelbau
08-08-2014 KAW, Leverkussen, Germany
09-08-2014 Transistorcafe, Kail, Germany
12-09-2014 TAC, Eindhoven
THU20
16-01-2014 Steim, Amsterdam
21-02-2014 Kernel, Den Haag
10-05-2014 De Perifeer, Deventer
I loved doing them all. However the best were two unannounced, somewhat private gigs. One was a six minute/one song with Marina Tadic of Eerie Wanda at Extrapool and Freiband/Bass Communion also at Extrapool, the day before Steven Wilson (Bass Communion)/Thomas Köner at Doornroosje. Small impromptu, handful of people, but great atmosphere, both of them. The latter may be released one day. It was great having Steven around for a couple of days and talk rock music and noise at the same time.
And part of this long weekend in December was a great concert by the same Wilson and Thomas Köner which made me meet with Mark Poysden after many years and discussing, however briefly, the Staalplaat book with him. That book is all finished and he’s now correcting it. Hopefully to be released in 2015. I also hope to publish a smaller book with all texts from 1989-2014 on music that aren’t reviews, so liner notes, pieces for releases, or support letters I wrote for musicians. It will be a smaller, print-on-demand. Also currently being revised.
Again I went on holidays this year, London and Edinburgh, visiting London Convention and sightseeing. Nice, as always.
As for watching concerts, I very much enjoyed Asuna’s concert at Extrapool this month. I really enjoyed Candelila from Germany. I am sure I saw more I liked, but hardly anything that blew me away.
Stuff that I enjoyed this year:
All of the releases by Sigtryggur Berg Sigmarsson
Releases by EE Tapes
SCHLEIMER K (CD by Infrastition)
MARTIN HANNETT – PLEASURES OF THE UNKNOWN (DVD/Book by OzIt Records)
IBRAHIM KHIDER – CHASING THE SHADOW OF BRYN JONES (Book by Vinyl On Demand)
MICHEL BANABILA – MORE RESEARCH FROM THE SAME DEPT. (CD by Tapu Records) *
Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson, movie)
RUTGER ZUYDERVELT – STAY TUNED (CD by Baskaru)
HOWARD STELZER – BRAYTON POINT (CD by Dokuro)
FALX CEREBRI – TRIALS TEXTURES ERRORS (CD by Monochrome Vision)
ERIC RANDOM & THE BEDLAMITES – TIME-SPLICE (CD by Klang Galerie) *
ERIC RANDOM – MAN_DOG (CD by Klang Galerie) *
Fargo (TV series)
True Detective (TV series)
blackhumour – selected pieces (cd by noise-below)
Books by Robert Galbraith and Jonas Jonasson
I am sure there is more, if only I could remember. I am sure I wasted time on stuff, but I am not wasting it by trying to remember, although watching ‘The Interview’ three days ago is too fresh not to mention it.
In 2015 I will continue keeping a diary, which runs from August 8, 2014 to August 8, 2015, and which will be called ‘The End Of The First Half’, as I turn 50 on the day I end it. So far I manage quite well. I tried working on my fantasy book, following the completion of the Staalplaat book, but other events prevent me from continuing that. I didn’t write a single 2-page essay in 2014, as I hoped I would do. I won’t try that again. I’d love to do lots more music, but seemingly never have enough time. Work harder remains the main objective in 2015.
Prosper & Proost
Frans de Waard 